Grades for every player on the roster
Posted December 1st, 2008 by mrasor
Football
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Season-ending grades…
Incomplete/Did not play – Adam Bice, Nadir Brown, Marvase Byrd, Andrew Colosimo, Larry Dawson, Troy Gilmer, Brady Greenwood, Aaron Hamburg, Rhyne Ladrach, Chad Maynard, Sean McCarthy, Jordan Miller, Jared Province, Josh Richmond, Nate Schuler, Shane Shead, Norman Shuford, Mitch Straight, Miller Thomas, DeVoe Torrence, Jared Wackerly, Brian Wagner, Curtis Brown, Zach Burk, Zack Campbell, Marquinn Davis, Zac Kasparek, Matt Little, Drew Logan, Dale Martin, Da-Von Moore, Paul Simkovich, Blake Smith, Cowles Stewart, Dante Barnes, Nate Burney, LeVon Morefield, Viktor Rajek, Doug Richardson, Richard Sandilands, Jason Sekinger, Kevin Davis, Ryan Gibbons, Matt Harmon, Evan Laube, Bryant McMillon, Ryan Bain, Nick Legger, Mitchell Magloire and Michael Taggart
Freshmen –
James Harvey B
Hasan Hazime B
Manley Waller B+ (made mistakes but showed a lot of talent)
Aaron Williams A (should lead the linebackers for the next three years)
Jake Anderson B
Dan Marcoux B+
Gary Pride B
Joe Rash B
Matt Rodgers B+
Dan Ronsman B
Sophomores –
Tyler Campbell B+ (made most of his abilities)
Jalil Carter A- (showed playmaker abilities in secondary)
Jose Cruz D (dropped an easy touchdown on only play of importance)
Sean Fobbs B
Igor Iveljic C (only 10th best field goal percentage in MAC, but he also scored the fifth-most points of any player at any position)
Shawn Lemon A- (great pass rusher with nose for the football)
Deni Odofin A+ (coming back from the injury at all is a great story, but this soon?)
Branko Rogovic C
Almondo Sewell A- (another all-MAC caliber season)
Mike Thomas A- (impact player)
Mike Ward A (should get all-MAC consideration)
Corey Woods A (see Ward)
Juniors –
Alex Allen B+
Zack Anderson A
Al-Teric Balaam C
Elliott Bates B- (high snaps were recurring problem)
Deryn Bowser B (Bowser's Christmas wish list: hands)
Wayne Cobham C- (low production at a featured position)
Miguel Graham A- (among league leaders in fumbles recovered, interceptions and passes defended; should get all-MAC consideration)
Keith Huebner B
Chris Jacquemain B- (too many turnovers; ninth in MAC in pass efficiency)
Andre Jones B+ (quick transition to WR)
Amin Kabir B
Dashan Miller C+ (should have been a bigger part of offense as a possession receiver)
Wallace Pendleton B
John Stec C- (one of the worst punters statistically in the MAC, but he never seemed to be THAT bad)
Joe Tuzze B+ (underutilized)
Jeremy Bruce B (came on strong late in season)
Casey Estrada B
Seniors –
Brandon Anderson B (among league leaders in passes defended)
Brian Flaherty B+ (can't ask any more of your longsnapper than an error-free season)
Kevin Grant A (all-MAC season)
Andy Hildreth A- (without him, Akron would be 4-8)
Chris Kemme B (too many penalties)
Dennis Kennedy A+ (team MVP; led conference in scoring, fourth in rushing yards)
Eric Lively B
Alphonso Owen B-
Merce Poindexter C- (offensive captain was non-existent for most of season)
Bryan Williams C+ (great on special teams; disappointment on defense)
Brandon Williams C
Doug Williams B-
Andrew Johnson B+ (injury curtailed what looked like a promising season)
Ray Siler B-
Men's basketball
Akron beat up on Fairleigh Dickinson 85-41 last night.
- Interesting notes…
Jimmy Conyers started. He had seven rebounds.
Fairleigh Dickinson shot 22.7 percent from the field.
Nate Linhart led the team and tied a career high with 19 points.
December 1st, 2008 at 9:24 am
So other than Rodgers letting you get a peak at his goodies, what did he do to earn a B+. If anyone should have been on the incomplete list it should have Rodgers since he got all of 4 snaps the entire season.
December 1st, 2008 at 9:34 am
G-Mann, that fact–in and of itself–is why Brookhart must go. This team lucked into a 5-7 record, and JD couldn't get Rodgers on the field for a better look-see / game-experience??!! Four friggin snaps! Sounds exactly like Romeo last year, when he wouldn't let Brady SMELL the playing field. That plan didn't work out so well, did it Romeo/JD??
I've said it before. JD sticking with an ineffective Getsy KILLED the Zips during his senior year. It's obviously his philosophy…always play the upperclassman. But what if Rodgers is better? And what if Jacq gets injured? And how about a little seasoning (in a lost season) for a kid who will likely be running the show here for two or three campaigns?? JD is shortsighted and narrow-minded.
December 1st, 2008 at 11:00 am
Rodgers gets a B+ out of pity. He can't help it if the coaches decided to stick with the upperclassmen.
December 1st, 2008 at 11:46 am
Then perhaps Rodgers should have played better in the spring game, or perhaps he should have looked more decisive in practice. I'm sorry but all you've done all year is pray that Rodgers get's playing time. I've seen him, and he is not effective. He did not step up. But that's right it's just a grand conspiracy and Brookhart is just "too stubborn to play a qb that isn't ready or doesn't have it".
Look don't get me wrong, if Jacq had the flu Rodgers should have been put in. But what does it say that he wasn't? That JD is so stubborn that he would rather lose a game to Temple or that a flu ridden Jacq is better then a healthy Rodgers?
To me it says that Rodgers is a bigger liability than Jacq.
Am I thrilled with JD right now? No not after I really broke down this years record.
5-7. One game better than last year and better then any prognosticators prediction.
The real record….
Non conference games 2-2
MAC West games 2-1
MAC East games 1-4
That's right 1-4 in the MAC East, the abysmal MAC East. While I support JD, I know the team is showing improvement. We all have to be really concerned about a 1-4 Division record.
But as far as Rodgers vs Jacq? I pick Jacq. Until Rodgers can step into the Field house and not make countless bad judgements against a poor pass defense, I say Jacq is the man.
December 1st, 2008 at 11:54 am
You might be right, G-Mann. But JD does have a history of sticking with ineffective QBs….and, frankly, with underperforming RBs, as well. He finally benched Kennedy last year, but the season was lost at that point.
If Rodgers is a poor player, that again is a reflection on the man who recruited him. This is Div. 1 football…when are we gonna get a Div. 1 QB to lead this program?
That breakdown against opponents is frightening. Three more wins against MAC East teams that we should have beaten, and we're not having this discussion. Good coaches and players find a way to win, not to lose.
December 1st, 2008 at 12:01 pm
After the spring game, I wrote:
Chris Jacquemain had a stretch of three straight interceptions. Two were on tipped passes. He also threw a handful of difficult, accurate passes. Matt Rodgers looked crisp and poised. "Chris struggled a little, but he came on," Brookhart said. "Jacq sets the pace, but Matt really pushes him. For (Rodgers') first spring, I was tremendously impressed." Dennis Kennedy agreed: "They're both looking great. Jacq is much improved. Matt is coming along."
On March 27, I wrote:
The real inquiry is at quarterback, where Chris Jacquemain and Matt Rodgers will duel for the next six months. Jacquemain played a little today, then got sick with the flu. Rodgers took most of the snaps while I was there. He looked terrific. The balls rifled from his hand in tight spirals. He showed strong pocket presence, even with the offensive line blocking like a turnstile. With his field vision, arm strength and accuracy, I don't see a scenario where a healthy Matt Rodgers does not start at Camp Randall Stadium on Aug. 30.
December 1st, 2008 at 9:58 pm
Assigning grades to individual players is at best entertainment and at worst an exercise in futility. Many of these guys did not play enough to be 'graded'.
But, since the door is open,Jacquemain desrerves a lower grade. He is a junior playing at times like a freshman. No leadership ability evident. Too inconsistent. Grant, good at times,completely disappeared at others. Bryan Williams, playing out of position on defense. Not his fault. Kemme, next to QB, toughest position on the team. Deserves an A as does the entir O-line.
I like Graham too. Don't know what Kennedy started eating but other than the line the bright spot on the offense once Alex Allen went down. Tight ends, worthless.
Look, if BGSU can fire Brandon,what is the Akron AD looking for?
The coaches? Never have been able to 'coach this team up' to its potential…grade C-. Defensive coaches get a D-.
Wait unitl next year.
December 2nd, 2008 at 7:39 am
Jacq has a good throwing arm. But all things considered, coaches generally evaluate a quarterback on leadership, composure and good decision making just to name a few. Jacq is so inconsistant in these areas that most high school players displaying his same qualities at times, or lack there of, would be replaced in games.
At what point does he get pulled from the game. Is the magic number 5 interceptions, 6, 7? We may never know. And perhaps the coaching staff would actually be doing Jacq a favor to take him out of the game…get him composed…and put him back in. If there aren't any consequences to his bad performances, or just simply an off day, of which there where many, how is he ever going to reach his potential?
We can all say that Jacq improved from last year. Hello, isn't that what is expected. I saw little improvement from the first to the last game of this season and in fact I saw him regress in some instances.
They recruited Rodgers so they must have seen something in him. Perhaps the real dilemma in all this is that if Rodgers actually saw any meaningful playing time, he might perform better than Jacq. Then what would they do?
It is time, at the very least, to start demanding more from whomever the Akron qb is for next year. Jacq will now be in his senior year….he needs to start performing and acting like one. If he doesn't, let someone else have the opportunity to lead this program to a higher level.
I surely hope the bar is raised for the Akron coaches, players and fans for next year. We all deserve better!
December 2nd, 2008 at 10:15 am
I'm just tired of having to endure ENTIRE SEASONS with the same guy, even if he and the team are underperforming. That's my whole point: JD has got to realize it's about the TEAM winning, and not about him hurting an upperclassman's feelings. Simple fact is, some YOUNGER guys are just better than some veterans. And sometimes, the team needs "shaken up."
Whatever they're doing right now to win games…..IT AIN'T WORKIN'.
December 2nd, 2008 at 10:46 am
The Zips failures of the past three seasons have come down to coaching. It is time for a change.
December 2nd, 2008 at 1:25 pm
Lee, Know of your disdain for the defense. Yes, it was a tough year but they did show much improvement the last game don't you agree? Just a few facts to dispute your assertions that the D is always the worst in the MAC and we can't win with them (Buffalo did and we were statistically better than Buffalo #11 in Mac on D):
"04 D #10 O#9
'05 D #6 O#7
'06 D #5 O#9
'07 D# 7 0#12
'08 D# 10 0#6
YPP tyds ypg
20008 UA 5.5 4771 397
UB 5.8 4805 400
December 2nd, 2008 at 1:48 pm
Made a mistake, in 2005, the D was #2 in the MAC not #6.
December 2nd, 2008 at 10:22 pm
Dan,good numbers. But,obviously the trend has been in the wrong direction the last three years. Are your numbers based on points allowed,yards allowed? Other than the Cincy,maybe Army games,when did the defense actually make stops in key situations? In the wins the offense had to put up a ton of points just to keep the team in the game. Even at Syracuse, the offense put up 40+ Toledo the same thing. The defense couldn't keep Temple from going 70+ yards at the critical point in the game., no matter what the idiot QB on our side did. The Kent game was just silly as was Eastern Michigan. The funny thing is that the defense seemed to play so well against Cincy, one would think it was better.
Go to a 4-3,two deep in the secondary. Find a free safety who head hunts and one defensive lineman who can pressure the QB.
December 3rd, 2008 at 3:17 pm
Lee, Agree trend past two (7th and 10th) not three (5th not too bad) needs to turn around. Numbers are for total defense in MAC. Other numbers compare us and Buffalo in yards per play, per season, per game. I think the 4th down stop against Temple was huge, just one off top of head, after which DK broke a big play, momentum. D had to defend short fields all day with Toledo.
Did you watch the Buffalo/ Kent game. Kent up by 3, with 1 min to go in game. Buffalo was driving down to score, completed a pass on about the two, receiver falls down, fumbles and Kent recovers in end zone, end of game. That to me pretty much describes us and most MAC East teams. We knew we weren't going to be so hot on defense this year and offense was looking pretty good ( Dennis and the O-line deserve a pat on the back from all on campus for the rest of the year!!!!) so keep defense off the field and control the ball. It's how Buffalo lost to Kent, Kent lost to us and we lost to Buffalo just to look at a few.
As to personnel, I agree with you. Bain as a 4th up front to please take the qbs head off, pray for a rover with the intangible heart of Mackey, and hope the rest of the backend gained some experience this year.
December 3rd, 2008 at 10:12 pm
That fumble probably saved 'Mug" Martin's job!
December 4th, 2008 at 2:26 pm
Rasor, whats up with Jordan Miller, the 3 star QB recruit. If he is still around its time to get him on the field.